Finland to Reduce Unemployment Benefits for Immigrants Lacking Language Skills

Government Proposes Benefit Cuts for Non-Finnish/Swedish Speakers

The Finnish government is moving forward with plans to reduce unemployment benefits for immigrants who cannot demonstrate proficiency in either the Finnish or Swedish language. This reform aims to encourage language acquisition and greater participation in the labor market. Social Security Minister Sanni Grahn-Laasonen confirmed that a draft of the proposal is slated for public consultation later this year.

Under the proposed changes, a new 'integration allowance' would replace a portion of the existing jobseeker's support for this demographic. Immigrants who do not pass a language test or meet specific employment criteria would see their monthly support reduced.

Details of the Proposed Reduction

The planned reduction would bring the monthly benefit for a single adult to approximately €594, a decrease from the current net unemployment benefit of around €640. This represents a maximum reduction of just under €50 per month.

However, individuals would have the opportunity to restore their benefits to the current level by proving their language skills through a test or by fulfilling the employment conditions required for full unemployment support. Liisa Siika-aho, Director at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, noted that the integration allowance would be time-limited, after which recipients would transition to standard unemployment benefits, regardless of language proficiency or employment history.

Policy Rationale and Broader Context

The government's stated intention behind this measure is to encourage employment and language acquisition among immigrants. Finance Minister Riikka Purra, leader of the Finns Party, characterized the change as a step towards a more citizenship-based social security model, aligning with her party's broader objective to reform Finland's welfare system.

This proposal is part of a wider set of reforms by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's government, which has emphasized tightening immigration policies and implementing austerity measures. The government's program explicitly stresses migrants' obligations over rights, seeking to push people into work by various means and cut several social benefits. Other immigration-related reforms include:

• A reduction in the refugee quota from 1,050 to 500 individuals per year.
• Differentiating social security between immigrants and permanent residents.
• New prerequisites for permanent residency, including a six-year residency period and language proficiency.
• A proposed 'three-month unemployment rule' that could cancel work-based residence permits for third-country nationals if they remain unemployed for over three months.

Historical Precedent and Legal Considerations

A similar proposal was put forth by Prime Minister Juha Sipilä's government in 2015, which aimed to reduce immigrants' unemployment benefits by 10 percent regardless of language skills. That plan was later withdrawn following concerns raised by constitutional law experts regarding equality provisions. While acknowledging that legal concerns remain possible, Siika-aho stated, 'It's always a sensitive issue when rules are applied differently to one group.'